


Machinations

by Kastaka



Category: Temper - Nicky Drayden
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-10
Updated: 2019-11-10
Packaged: 2021-01-26 21:09:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,073
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21380638
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kastaka/pseuds/Kastaka
Summary: Daia is more in control than she looks, but less in control than she'd like to feel.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 2
Collections: Yuletide 2019





	Machinations

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ambyr](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ambyr/gifts).

I hear the bedroom door as I come into the house, despite Auben's best efforts to be in my face as a distraction. It's so endearing that they still don't seem to realise that I know everything they are up to - that 'their' girls will be giving me a full report later.

So I pick a small fight to keep him distracted. And I really can't afford too many extra shirts, anyway. Machinations sell well, but each sale risks exposure, and demand for supplies is never-ending.

"Where's your shirt?"

That's when I smell it, although I look away as swiftly as possible to avoid him reading anything. They have done the test with versa wu - but here's Auben still being charitable and taking point for the others. That is not a promising development.

I disguise my worries by busying myself with the stove and starting to harp on a bit. "I won't have you running around all narrow season looking like I can't afford to have you properly clothed." Has he noticed that I've noticed the evidence of more than the boys being round? Better cover for that too. "And what's with all the glasses? How many times must I tell you boys not to dirty up a cup every time you're thirsty?" And for the capstone, continuing distraction about the smell of science that clings to me every time I come home from work. "I get paid to clean up after filthy sluggards all day,and you can bet your ass I'm not going to come home and do it for you."

That seems to have done the job; he meekly replies, "Yes, Mother," and starts cleaning up. He clearly thinks he's got one over me. That won't quite do, so I push him a little more.

"Where is that brother of yours anyway?"

He stumbles over the answer. "He's… tidying up a big mess in the bedroom." Sure he is - probably a big mess you all made together after the versa wu. They all grow up so fast. I'm more upset about the idea than I thought I would be. 

Fortunately, I have a big distraction in hand to pretend that's bothering me instead.

"I can't believe she's doing this to me. Again. Like I can afford to take time off work! With two hours' notice!" This much is true; I had things to finish that I had to hand over, although part of me is glad that I did have the excuse to cut their 'experiment' short. The girls had convinced me it had to be done, but I didn't have to like it.

"If I end up losing my job over this, she'll be paying our rent until I find something else, because there's no way we're moving in with them. No way!"

Now that was a threat and a half to a young man who was clearly enjoying being apparently unsupervised - I hope. Assuming the versa wu would wear off properly and we hadn't just accelerated the timetable unnecessarily.

"Aunt Cissie again?" he guesses. He's getting more astute by the day - it's going to be hard to keep getting things past him soon.

"Of course it's that inconsiderate sister of mine! Who else would it be?" Maybe if he doesn't think too much of his inductive prowess, he won't use it so often. Although I should also be encouraging his vainglory to come back, I guess. That's the trouble with working with people rather than scientific apparatus - too many variables, not enough control.

"Your uncle's traveling to important meetings all through the first week of the narrow season, so she wants us all to come up tonight to celebrate. One of her big impressive dinners." To be honest I am looking forwards to the food, even if not the company. The priority of my projects diverts everything but the basics from our food budget.

Suddenly, I feel so weary to have been burdened with these children while I am trying to change the world. I need to think of some way to chase him out of the room before I take it out on him.

"Two full-time cooks, and she has the nerve to ask me to bring a dish!" If he has any trace of vice left in him right now, he certainly won't want to help with the cooking, when he could be blamed for it later. "Go put on some clothes. Something nice."

The speed he flees the room at is very satisfying. Clearly the versa wu didn't entirely break him. One less worry to cross off the never-ending list.

The worry springs right back to life when Kasim shows up in an absolutely ridiculous ensemble which clearly belongs to Auden. I haven't had chance to check him out, and while I'm somewhat less worried about the damage he might do if unleashed, it's still not a comforting prospect. Not only is that get-up absolutely vainglorious, it's right in line with his greed. The versa wu has certainly done something non-standard here.

But there is no trace of frost or holy aura about either of them, and I'll be able to keep a close eye on them all evening.

Much to my relief, we are only just starting the rickshaw ride when the wu clearly wears off. I hate calling it wu - it's clearly some kind of hallucinogen or drug which causes suggestibility in this case, and a wide range of hypnotic and similar techniques that bend and shape the brain in the other - the mind is only flesh, after all.

I'm pretending that I'm not listening, but drink in every word of their return to normality. Or Kasim's, anyway. While Auben had taken up his old hobby of needling his brother, he still sounded distressingly calm. I can't even get a rise out of him with a deliberate bait about his cousins, who I know treat them appallingly whenever they get the chance.

And then, of course, I accidentally drop the diagram I was saving for studying after supper, when clearly everyone would be too drunk to be interesting or observant and I could claw back some of the hours I'd lost today to this assignation.

I grab it and stash it away, and stare Auden down - he's still just a boy, despite all his pretentions of manhood with Nkosazana - but I am left wondering, fearfully, how much longer that is going to work.


End file.
